B-KRONIEKEN

Klaus Ludwig

Date: 30/10/2006Place: His livingroom

Klaus Ludwig came to Brussels to be a student of PARTS and has been living
in the city for 10 years now. Having studied economics, he was likely to
become a tax adviser but his hobby took over when he got accepted to PARTS.
Meanwhile, he has returned to bookkeeping: he started an accounting office
specialized in the performing arts. The performing arts and accountancy
have everything to do with each other according to Ludwig : looking at a
production on stage or looking at the numbers on paper is just another way
of approaching a piece.

As a foreigner, Ludwig feels at home in Brussels, which to him is a small
island in Belgium where many different nationalities come together. He
loves Brussels because it is « so alive and international ». Ludwig feels
part of a cultural community, which he describes as quite isolated. One
disadvantage of studying at PARTS is that the school absorbs you completely
and that it is difficult to get out of the small circle of PARTS-related
people. It was a big relief for him when his world opened up by leaving
school.

Part of the nature of the Brussels dance community is that it is in
constant motion because of the system of guest performances that are shown
in the different venues. The Brussels audience has a comfortable position
with so many companies visiting the theaters. This flexibility cannot be
found in for example Germany where each city has its own theater company
and the audience has to do the effort to go and see a performance. Another
characteristic of the Brussels dance community is a shared way of life, a
life from day to day, which often implies having many ideas but little
means. It means sacrificing a lot but also getting a lot in return. The
idea that many others chose the same way can be a support in difficult
moments. Everybody in the community will experience the contrast between
one’s own and society’s values at a given moment, which can make one
question his choices. Ludwig gives the example of the importance society
attributes to possessions and (saving) money. It is not always easy to find
a balance between the « realistic side of life » and one’s ideals.

Ludwig describes himself as a workaholic. He used to do a lot of work for
free, but cut down voluntary work to reduce the influence of stress and
pressure on his health. He had to learn to put himself in first priority,
to slow down and to make sure he earned a living. He also had to learn to
separate his personal and professional life. His priorities started
shifting when his body gave him signals that he was working too hard. His
top priority at the moment is having more free time.